Information device

ABSTRACT

The invention provides an information device comprising a casing including a viewing window and a closable writing aperture, means for supporting in said casing material to receive inscriptions, a take-up means to receive said inscription material after passage past the writing aperture and the viewing window, means for temporarily opening the writing aperture, and means for shifting the inscription material past said aperture and said viewing window.

itedStates Patent 1191 Fuetsch INFORMATION DEVICE [76] Inventor: Alfred Fuetsch, Schulhausstrasse 636, Gil-8307 Tagelswangen, Switzerland [22] Filed: Sept. 25, 1972 [2]] Appl. No.: 292,026

[30-] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 30, 1971 Switzerland 14334/71 [52] US. Cl. .L. 281/8, 40/31 [51] Int. Cl. 342d 19/00 [58] Field of Search 281/8, 11; 40/31, 86 R, 40/86 A; 197/44, 45, 46, 47

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 425,876 4/1890 Hall .L 197/44 621,628 3/1899 Becker et a1 197/47 697,382 4/1902 Maxwell 40/31 958,673

5/1910 Ovenshire 281/8 Aug. 6, 1974 1,313,] 10 8/1919 Padilla 40/31 1,655,743 l/1928 Sherman 281/11 x 2,431,784 12/1947 White 281/8 x 2,570,489 10/1951 Ryder 40/86 R x FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 152,296 7/1953 Australia 40/31 Primary Examiner-Wm. l-I. Grieb Attorney, Agent, or FirmE11iott I. Pollock 7 ABSTRACT The invention provides an information device comprising a casing including a viewing window and a closable writing aperture, means for supporting in said casing material to receive inscriptions, a take-up means to receive said inscription material after passage past the writing aperture and the viewing window, means for temporarily opening the writing aperture, and means for shifting the inscription material past said aperture and said viewing window.

10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures INFORMATION CONTACT APPARATUS 75 ADVERTISING AUTOMATON FOR PASSERS-BY RECAPITU LATION EMPLOV MENT MOTOR- CARS if; REBAPITULATIJR puw g INBTRUUTIUNa PATENTEUAUB 61974 SHEET 1 BF 4 II. a" I a o a K a a o cu PATENTED RUB 81974 SHEET 2 [IF 4 PATENTEU 51974 3.827, 7255 saw 3 0F 4 PATENTEU 61974 3.827.725

SHEET a OF G INFORMATION CONTACT APPARATUS 75 ADVERTISING AUTDMATUN FUR PASSERS-BY \AUTOMATIC RECAPITULATION navlcl/ FUR E EMPLUY- 1 SALE MENT F7 F4 BUYING MOTOR- \Z CARS GUESTS 3 RENTS, RECAPITULATUR LEASES PLACES msmucnous BAHTER- c0 4 umcA 9 uuEsTs Tums ROOMS AND sum- 5 APART- nmss MENTS L r I msmucmus 22313315: 67

INFORMATION DEVICE The mass media, such as radio, television, and the press, as well as private sources of all kinds, are nowadays available forgiving infomation on offers for sale, purchase and exchange, employment, estate agencies, car sales, renting, hiring, publicity,etc.

The present invention is for the purpose of creating an information device which is accessible to everybody and enables information to be collected and displayed For this purpose, the information device according to the invention is in the form of an automatic machine of the showcase type, which, on insertion of money, receives and stores written information on an inscription band, as well as displaying it, and which can be placed in suitable public places for this purpose.

Three forms of construction of the object of the invention are shown on the drawings as examples, as follows:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic front view of the showcase type automatic machine according to a first form of construction,

FIG. 2 is a front view of the automatic machine shown in FIG. 1 with the door opened 90,

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of part of the operating mechanism, shown schematically,

FIG. 4 is a detail of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is an axial section through the take-up device for the band-form of information carrier,

FIG. 6 is a side view of a second form of construction, and

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic front view of the showcase type automatic machine according to the third form of construction.

Referring to the drawings, numeral 1 identifies the automatic machine, of showcase form, arranged on a base ll, with a door 3 which can swing open through 90 on hinges 4 and can be secured by lock 2, and as in FIG. 2, forms the carrier for the entire operating mechanism, which is accessible in all parts, by opening the door. Aviewing window of transparent plastic is incorporated in door 3, behind which is a paper band 6 for receiving written information of all kinds, and which runs in lateral guideways 7. The lower part of door 3 is in the form of a projecting desk-type writing surface 8, on which paper guides 7 and the viewing window 5 run out in a curved form. The upper side of desk 8 is provided with a slot 9 which defines a writing area of sufficient size on the paper band and which can be closed by means of shutter 10 (FIGS. 2 and 3) or can be exposed for use. Paper band 6 is stretched from an interchangeable feed roller 11 carried between bearing plates 19, 20 on stub shafts 17, 18 in the side walls of the desk, through the lateral guideways 7, upwards and over sprockets 13 carried in hearings in walls 12 inside door 3 to an interchangeable take-up roller 14, FIG. 2. The margins of the paper band, which run in guideways 7, each have a series of perforations 15 for, engaging with the teeth 16, FIGS. 2 and 3, of sprockets 13.

As shown in FIG. 5, take-up roller 14 is clamped between two rotatable bearing plates 19, on 'stub shafts I7, 18 mounted in walls 12. For this purpose, bearing plate 20 is pressed toward plate 19 by axial compression spring 21, which pushes against a rotatable abutment 22. The pressure of spring 21 acts through roller 14 on bearing plate 19 and presses plate 19 against driving plate 23. Plate 19 is provided with a driving pin 25 on the side against take-up roller 14, engaging in a notch 26 on the roller, and is also provided with a friction clutch 24 on the side against driving plate 23. Driving plate 23 carries a chainwheel 27 which is driven intermittently through chain 28 from electric motor 29, and through a control device.

A control panel 30 fitted to door 3 (FIGS. 1 and 3) has a green signal light 31 which is energized when the machine is at rest and a red light 32 which is energized when it is in operation. 33 is a coin slot and 34 an operating knob for winding up clockwork 35, which actuates the shutter 10 controlling writing slot 9. A timing dial 36 on control panel 30 operates in connection with clockwork 35. A ratchet coupling 38 is mounted on shaft 37 which connects the clockwork 35 to the operating knob 34, and a disc 39 on the shaft is moveable by knob 34 through the ratchet. Disc 39 is connected to shutter 10 by two cables 40, 41 over guide rollers 42, 43. Shutter 10 runs in guideways 44 inside writing desk 8 and can be moved by the cables against the pull of tension springs 45 in the direction of arrows a to its open position. By rotating the operating knob 34 in the direction of arrow a in FIG. 3, shutter 10 is pulled by the corresponding rotation of disc 39 into the position to open slot 9, and furthermore the clockwork 35 is wound up and dial 36 is actuated.

In the example shown, the paper-moving sprockets 13 are operated by a rod 46 linked to disc 39, and which in turn operates ratchet wheel 48 through a spring-loaded pawl 47, the ratchet wheel being keyed on shaft 49 of the sprockets 13. After timing dial 36 has run out, motor 29 is switched in and shaft 37, initially under spring tension, is released, so that it together with disc 39 rotates in the direction of arrow b to the initial position, under the pull of cables 40, 41. This ro-' tation causes shutter 10 to close under the influence of springs 45 and the paper band to be moved through about 3 cm by means of rod 46, at the end of which operationsmotor 29 is cut out.

FIG. 3 shows the operating mechanism in the initial position of the machine, where the green light 31 indicates that it is ready for information to be put in, and when the pointer of the timing dial 36 is in the zero position and writing slot 9 is closed by shutter 111. Operating knob 34 is freed for a single actuation of the machine by inserting the prescribed coin. By rotating the knob to the right, in the direction of arrow a, the writing slot 9 is opened, clockwork 35 wound up and rod 46 returned to its initial position for moving the paper. At the same time, timing dial starts to operate and the red lamp 32 lights up in place of the green. The desired information, such as offers for sale, purchase and exchange, or enquiries and offers for renting, employment, accomodation, car sales, publicity, etc., can be written on the paper exposed through the slot 9. After expiry of a fixed writing time, which can be set at to 300 seconds, according to frequency of operation by the public interested in the information, locked shaft 37 is released by the clockwork, shutter 10 closes the writing slot 9, rod 46 actuates movement of the paper band, and the redlight changes back to green. l5 to 20 seconds before the end of the writing time, the imminent closing of the writing slot shutter 10 can be indicated by flashing of the red light 32 or by an acoustic signal.

Actuation of writing slot shutter can be by an electromagnet or electric motor, instead of mechanical means.

Thanks to the spring clamping of take-up roller 14 between plates 19, 20, easy change of the roller is possible. The same clamping device is also adopted for feed roller 1 1, except that plate 23 is not provided with a chainwheel 27 and is fixed to shaft 17, so that the feed roller is braked and ensures that paper band 6 is kept tight.

The second form of construction of the showcase type machine shown in FIG. 6 includes, in addition to the mechanism described for receiving, storing and displaying written information on the moving band, a repeating device for electrical and manual operation, in which the fully written band, after changing for a new one, can be gripped in the repeating device and read by rolling off past a viewing window, so that the required information can be noted or copied.

In this second form of construction, the device already described for receiving, storing and displaying written information is given the same reference numbers. The housing of the showcase type automatic machine is indicated by the numeral 1, and the base on which it is mounted by l'. 3 is the door incorporated with writing desk 8, hung on hinges 2 and carrying the entire operating equipment, which is freely accessible by opening the door. 6 is the paper band lyirig' behind viewing window 5 on the door, and which runs from feed roller 11 upwards over sprockets 13 to take-up roller 14.

It comprises clamping means 19, 20 for each of the rollers 14 and 50, 14 being the filled band roller and 50 a take-up roller, the band 6 running over guide rollers 51, 52 to the take-up roller. 53 is a viewing slit with a cylindrical lens 54, behind which the part of the band to be read can be moved as desired. A chainwheel 55 on a driving motor is connected by chain 56 to one set of teeth of a double gearwheel 57, which is rotatably mounted on shaft 58 of the clamping device 19, 20 for the roller 14 to be unwound. The second set of teeth of gearwheel 57 is connected by chain 59 with chainwheel 60 carried on the shaft bearing the take-up roller 50 and the clamping device 19, 20, the chainwheel being arranged to drive member 19 through friction clutch 24 (FIG. 5).

61 is the coin slot. Release of the device for moving paper band 6 is effected by inserting a coin, and time dial 62 is simultaneously set in motion for the period of about 6 minutes, with simultaneous change-over of the green ready signal light to the red operating" light, 63, 64. The paper feed is started by operating the start button 65 and it is stopped as required by button 66. Operation of the repeating device of the automatic machine can be manual if desired, in which case changeover to manual is by button 66. A rotating knob 68 is provided for manual operation.

69, 69', 69" and 69" are keys of a control group on the side of housing 1. The keys are of different colours and are in an electrical circuit which is not shown, but is such that, by operation of a key, one of the information groups on band 6' is set-up or is made to appear in the viewing window 53. Obviously, indications should be provided on housing 1 of the information groups which relate to the keys.

The third form of construction of the machine is shown in FIG. 7, and has a printing device 70 covering one end of writing slot 9, in the form of a rotatable discshaped stamp carrier 71, the punches bearing numbers and various colours for identification being adjustable over slot 9 as desired by rotating disc 71. Stamps 72 are in the form of depressable keys which, after setting of disc 71 over slot 9 and depressing the key, cause the corresponding symbol 73 to be applied to the left-hand end of the writing area containing or to contain the written information in the writing slot 9.

The identification symbols 73 relative to the various information headings 6, for rapid finding of the desired information, are at the left-hand edge of paper band 6, inside viewing window 5. The same identification symbols 73 can be used in the viewing window 53 of the repeating automatic machine for rapidly finding the desired headings.

The group register on both sides of the machine viewing-window 5 is indicated by figure 74. The various group headings such as for sale," wanted to purchase, for hire, to let, wanted for exchange, etc'., are given numbers 1 to 10 and are in different colours.-

For inserting information into the writing area through slot 9, the stamp key 72 corresponding to group register 74 should be set over the slot 9 and depressed. By this operation the information subsequently inserted is given an identification mark enabling rapid finding.

' Panels 75 and 76 contain operating rules, instruc- The repeating device is builtinto the same housing 1. I Hons and advertisements 77 1S a panel on t 5 Side available for advertisement. 33 is the coin slot and 36 the time dial of the Contact Informer, which is automatically set in motion on insertion of a coin. 78 is the instructions for operating the Contact Informer and 79 the same for the repeating machine. 62 is its time dial, 61 its coinslot and 68 the rotating knob for manual operation of the repeater. 80 indicates a censuring inspection zone, in which frivolous, offensive or indecent infonnation can be removed by rotating knob 81 of a concealed cancelling device.

I claim;

1. In a message recording apparatus of the type adapted to permit the inscription and display of written information and comprising a housing one side of which is closed by a door having an elongated window therein, said apparatus including a writing station adjacent one end of said elongated window and having a writing aperture and a shutter movable between open and closed positions for selectively exposing and concealing said aperture, and an elongated strip of inscription material disposed within said housing and selectively transportable past said writing aperture and thence past said elongated window for receiving written information when said shutter is in its open position and for thereafter displaying said written information to view as said strip is transported past said window, the improvement comprising a pair of elongated guideways disposed in spaced relation to one another adjacent the opposing elongated edges of said window for slidably receiving the opposing marginal edges of said strip to guide said strip past said window, a rotatable feed roll disposed within said housing adjacent said one end of said window and having a supply of said strip material wound thereon, a rotatable conveying roll disposed within said housing adjacent the other end of said elongated window in driving engagement with said strip, and a rotatable take-up roll for receiving and storing strip material from said conveying roll, said elongated strip being transportable along a path extending from said feed roll past said writing station, then along said guideways and past said conveying roll, to said take-up roll, and operating means for selectively effecting transport of said strip along said path, said operating means comprising a manually rotatable operating knob, a spring-type clockwork mechanism, coupling means between said knob and said clockwork mechanism for causing rotation of said knob to wind the spring in said clockwork mechanism thereby to initiate operation of said clockwork mechanism for a predetermined time interval, means responsive to rotation of said knob for moving said shutter to its open position thereby to expose said writing aperture, a normally deenergized drive motor coupled to said take-up roll, a normally inactive advancing mechanism coupled to said conveying roll, and control means responsive to termination of the operation of said clockwork mechanism upon elapse of said predetermined time interval for moving said shutter to its closed position, said control means further including means responsive to elapse of said predetermined time interval for activating said advancing mechanism to cause said conveying roll to transport a predetermined length of said strip from said feed roll past said aperture and window, and for energizing said drive motor to cause rotation of said takeup roll to effect storage of a like length of said strip on said take-up roll.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said manually rotatable operating knob is normally locked against rotation, and a coin-controlled mechanism for selectively freeing said knob for rotation.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said coupling means between said knob and said clockwork mechanism is of the ratchet type.

4., The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said strip includes at least one row of spaced holes along a marginal edge thereof, said conveying roll comprising a rotatable sprocket wheel positioned to engage said holes, said advancing mechanism comprising a ratchet mounted on said conveying roll and cooperating with a springbiased pawl coupled to said clockwork mechanism for selectively indexing said sprocket wheel to advance said strip past said window and toward said take-up roll.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 including a timing dial connected to said clockwork mechanism for indicating said predetermined time interval and the elapse thereof.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said feed roll and said take-up roll each comprise a central barrel section upon which said strip is wound, a pair of bearing discs disposed in spaced generally parallel relation to one another at the opposing ends of said barrel for confining the lateral edges of said wound strip, and spring means for resiliently urging said bearing discs toward one another.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said spring means acts upon the outer side of one of said bearing discs only for urging said one disc in an axial direction toward the other disc.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the other of said bearing discs in said take-up roll includes an exterior friction clutch surface, a rotatable driving plate in frictional engagement with said surface, and means for coupling said driving plate to said drive motor.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said housing includes an auxiliary viewing window adjacent to and spaced from said elongated window, an auxiliary storage roll within said housing for storing a completely inscribed strip of said inscription material thereon, and means for selectively transporting said strip from said auxiliary storage roll past said auxiliary window to permit the viewing of previously inscribed information.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 including coincontrolled operating means for transporting said strip from said auxiliary storage roll past said auxiliary window. 

1. In a message recording apparatus of the type adapted to permit the inscription and display of written information and comprising a housing one side of which is closed by a door having an elongated window therein, said apparatus including a writing station adjacent one end of said elongated window and having a writing aperture and a shutter movable between open and closed positions for selectively exposing and concealing said aperture, and an elongated strip of inscription material disposed within said housing and selectively transportable past said writing aperture and thence past said elongated window for receiving written information when said shutter is in its open position and for thereafter displaying said written information to view as said strip is transported past said window, the improvement comprising a pair of elongated guideways disposed in spaced relation to one another adjacent the opposing elongated edges of said window for slidably receiving the opposing marginal edges of said strip to guide said strip past said window, a rotatable feed roll disposed within said housing adjacent said one end of said window and having a supply of said strip material wound thereon, a rotatable conveying roll disposed within said housing adjacent the other end of said elongated window in driving engagement with said strip, and a rotatable take-up roll for receiving and storing strip material from said conveying roll, said elongated strip being transportable along a path extending from said feed roll past said writing station, then along said guideways and past said conveying roll, to said take-up roll, and operating means for selectively effecting transport of said strip along said path, said operating means comprising a manually rotatable operating knob, a spring-type clockwork mechanism, coupling means between said knob and said clockwork mechanism for causing rotation of said knob to wind the spring in said clockwork mechanism thereby to initiate operation of said clockwork mechanism for a predetermined time interval, means responsive to rotation of said knob for moving said shutter to its open position thereby to expose said writing aperture, a normally deenergized drive motor coupled to said take-up roll, a normally inactive advancing mechanism coupled to said conveying roll, and control means responsive to termination of the operation of said clockwork mechanism upon elapse of said predetermined time interval for moving said shutter to its closed positIon, said control means further including means responsive to elapse of said predetermined time interval for activating said advancing mechanism to cause said conveying roll to transport a predetermined length of said strip from said feed roll past said aperture and window, and for energizing said drive motor to cause rotation of said takeup roll to effect storage of a like length of said strip on said take-up roll.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said manually rotatable operating knob is normally locked against rotation, and a coin-controlled mechanism for selectively freeing said knob for rotation.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said coupling means between said knob and said clockwork mechanism is of the ratchet type.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said strip includes at least one row of spaced holes along a marginal edge thereof, said conveying roll comprising a rotatable sprocket wheel positioned to engage said holes, said advancing mechanism comprising a ratchet mounted on said conveying roll and cooperating with a spring-biased pawl coupled to said clockwork mechanism for selectively indexing said sprocket wheel to advance said strip past said window and toward said take-up roll.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 including a timing dial connected to said clockwork mechanism for indicating said predetermined time interval and the elapse thereof.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said feed roll and said take-up roll each comprise a central barrel section upon which said strip is wound, a pair of bearing discs disposed in spaced generally parallel relation to one another at the opposing ends of said barrel for confining the lateral edges of said wound strip, and spring means for resiliently urging said bearing discs toward one another.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said spring means acts upon the outer side of one of said bearing discs only for urging said one disc in an axial direction toward the other disc.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the other of said bearing discs in said take-up roll includes an exterior friction clutch surface, a rotatable driving plate in frictional engagement with said surface, and means for coupling said driving plate to said drive motor.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said housing includes an auxiliary viewing window adjacent to and spaced from said elongated window, an auxiliary storage roll within said housing for storing a completely inscribed strip of said inscription material thereon, and means for selectively transporting said strip from said auxiliary storage roll past said auxiliary window to permit the viewing of previously inscribed information.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9 including coin-controlled operating means for transporting said strip from said auxiliary storage roll past said auxiliary window. 